


Music Short: "Janam Janam" by Shah Rukh Khan

by Kaksya



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Completed, F/M, Feels, Fluff and Angst, Implied/Referenced Sex, Love Confessions, Sad Ending, multi-chapter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-24
Updated: 2016-09-24
Packaged: 2018-08-17 00:58:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,862
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8124433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kaksya/pseuds/Kaksya
Summary: Based on pre-fall of Overwatch, Gabriel Reyes had his eyes caught on the new junior doctor who had just joined as part of Overwatch’s medical programme, Dr. Angela Ziegler, who showed great skill and dedication in her clinical and research practice, and yet whenever they come into contact, became greatly flustered and easily affected, clearly showing her immense crush towards the older veteran. One night caught in one of the under-construction blocks of Overwatch’s Swiss HQ brought them to shelter there from the falling rain, and words of confession and love were exchanged.





	1. First Meetings

**Author's Note:**

> Hi there, Kaksya here - thanks to Overwatch, I'm just starting to get back into writing fanfics after a 4-6 years hiatus? So I apologize if some parts of the writing seems off, just finished up a story here (for once!) and it's unbeta'd. 
> 
> I have a hobby in which I usually practice freewriting based on prompts, and more often than not, they're based on the inspiration I get after having listened to certain musical pieces or songs, hence the name, "Music Shorts". Expect a couple more of them, because I usually am most inspired to write after having listened to a good (and sometimes even bad!) musical piece/song/lyric snippets, etc.
> 
> So this one was actually completed just middle of July this year, after having listened to Dilwale's, "Janam Janam" (it's one of the defining theme songs for one of 2015's topmost Bollywood movies, you can have a go at listening to it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIBoAh4OXhQ - this is the lyrics version of the song, but if you are able to watch the music video version of it it's much more recommended, the choreography was pleasing to look at at the same time!)
> 
> Why was it written back then? Because I liked the song immensely, and one day happened to write this up based on the song - and what the movie inspired, somewhere along the lines of tragic love that endured. But why only now am I publishing it? Because I didn't think about getting this uploaded to anywhere until a good friend of mine gave a huge confidence boost after having read this earlier this month (September). So, here we go, hope you'd enjoy it!

               He had to be blind not to see it, the way she practically fall head over heels for him. Probably really did happen once, only as he had done with many times before, he pretended not to have seen it, quietly hoping to save her and himself from the embarrassment, not to mention to snub the snide, teasing comments he’d have to endure from Morrison later. The latter he could bore with great decorum and fortitude, but the former had him feeling as if he didn’t acquiesce to ensure that both he and the young lady were able to walk away from their awkward encounter in good graces, it would haunt him well and long into the night, especially during the times just before he would be able to fall asleep, hovering between awakening and dreaming deep in slumber.

               The first time it had happened, it was when he and Morrison had just completed a mission with their fellow teammates in the Pacific Southeast, and had been sent to submit a full digital and oral report with regards to the mission to their superiors in Swiss HQ. He had been a little out of sorts back then – while both he and Morrison adapted well to the enhancements made by the Soldier Enhancement Programme they’ve joined earlier, the mission still took a heavy toll on their physical and mental states – and was feeling mostly crabby for having to travel all the way from the U.S. to Switzerland just for a full passover report of their mission. It was a huge success, and yet whereas everyone felt like celebrating for it, both he and Morrison shared the lingering “aftertaste” from the remnants of the mission’s completion: a fellow, well-loved teammate met her end in that mission. They had all been like a family to each other, and her betrayal uncovered at the last minute during that mission led to her unfortunate demise. Reyes knew that Morrison would not be able to, and so he took on the brunt of having to do the task. He hated himself for it.

               The two men had just arrived in the HQ’s grand hallway entrance to be met by a security team, whom Reyes frowned upon to see the huge numbers of people turning out. But this was later explained away by the simultaneous arrival of an equally-important group of people after them – Overwatch’s first batch of medical and bioengineering scientists, who were recruited separately to study the technology Overwatch had been able to confiscate from various missions during the First Omnic Crisis, especially those involving heavy areas and events of conflict between Overwatch agents against Talon’s people. Joining among them was her, and he would not lie – back then, when his eyes first caught sight of her, a young, easily-impressionable woman looking very eager to prove herself, it had almost taken his breath away. Her raw appearance was breath-taking, and the way her eyes lilt in enthusiasm and brilliance laid a particular impression somewhere deep inside him. He was left with the opinion that this was probably a highly-intellectual woman who would find a person like him entirely dislikeable, and he wouldn’t be able to fault her for it – science was something he disliked as a subject in school, and in spite of Overwatch’s scientific discoveries had enabled him to become the man he was at that point in time, he held the opinion that scientists would find him immensely dull and brash; at least Morrison, with his easy looks and good people skills, would be able to esteem and communicate as equally with composure with them.

               When introductions were made in the hallway between him, Morrison, and the first batch of medical scientists, she introduced herself with a brimming personality towards Morrison as Dr. Angela Ziegler. But when it came to speaking with him next and as Morrison introduced him as Gabriel Reyes, she was temporarily stunned silence upon seeing him, then mumbled an almost-inaudible, ‘It’s my pleasure to meet you’. Back then, he had thought it immensely rude of her. Looking at it now from present point of view, he felt somewhat mollified and pleased with the memory of Dr. Ziegler having been so taken in by his looks, so he _was_ hot back then, at least to someone’s eyes. _Hers_.

               Later days over the next few months would unfold times when his and Dr. Ziegler’s paths crossed, and if she was carrying something, it tended to slip fast and crashing into the ground. At first Reyes ignored it, but when Morrison kept harassing him to change the outcome of such encounters as Reyes related the “strange” events to him, Reyes grudgingly obliged and helped the young doctor clear up, and was surprised to see a deep shade of red running against her delicate features. Her stuttering thanks after came off as slightly pleasing and kind to him, and he couldn’t help feel wanting to help alleviate her intense nervousness as she work around him. He tried to get her to loosen up by chatting about her work, something he’d picked up from watching how Morrison gets by with their fellow soldiers, but found her becoming more bashful as he did so. He tried to discontinue this practice initially, believing that he’d crossed a line between professionalism somewhere, but when Dr. Ziegler talked with hint of passion and warmth about what little she could muster out to talk about in answer to his questions, Reyes learnt that she was greatly shy. It only hit him later that it was _him_ who made her feel all those intense feelings. Reyes often pondered if it would have been better to let her alone, but Morrison reassured him that what Reyes had been doing was good enough.

               Things kind of escalated when Dr. Ziegler had been carrying a sensitive lab experiment specimen and dropped that onto the floor too when Reyes had decided to come over to chat with her. Damned thing nearly triggered an explosion to an already-fragile, still-rebuilding Swiss HQ; Dr. Ziegler, he later heard, was driven to tears due to the heavy work pile of paperwork she was forced to go through as part of the incident report of the near-accident that almost occurred. Reyes was beginning to feel seriously concerned, and decided to stay away from Dr. Ziegler for a good length of time, at least until she would be sufficiently recovered from the harrowing ordeal. Morrison kept nagging him to back to talking with her now and again, insinuating that if Reyes didn’t do so, she would be left to think that Reyes purposefully avoided her, and that would devastate her even more. Reyes sometimes wondered if Morrison was keen to egg both him and her into dating each other or something, and felt more than inclined to throw the towel towards it, but found himself being unable to. He found himself thinking about her a lot back then.

               Tonight, as luck would have had it, Reyes had to seek a temporary shelter under the canvassed roof area of a construction site in the Swiss HQ. Illumination from nearby overhead site lamps as well streetlamps helped him to see the place clearly, and yet aside from him, there was no one else around. The reason he got stuck in the rain was because he had been keen to send some filing records into the Records Unit far back in the HQ grounds, and realized that unlike with other places, there was no roofed corridor between the Records’ block and HQ’s Main Building. He thought that in spite of the darkening evening sky from the ominous bulbous clouds overhanging the city, he could zip in, send the files, and zip out in time, easy enough.

               As luck would have had it, nope, in spite of his speedy course of actions, he was a second too late, and was now forced to wait outside in the portico of the Records building unit as the rain streamed into a heavy downpour, and had been so for the past 30 minutes. No sign that the storm would be over soon. He let out a heavy sigh, cursing himself inwards over his own heedlessness. He would be late coming back to the dorm rooms, and was very keen on not coming across Morrison upon his return; the man would never shut up about it.

               His ears then caught the squelching sounds of light, tottering footsteps made by someone in a hurry to escape the rain, and he craned his neck to see who it was. The darkening outdoors made illumination from the lights practically useless, and it was only a while later that he managed to catch sight of who it was attempting to escape into the sanctity of the portico he was currently standing in, as the person themselves stumbled into his view. Would have almost fallen over and tumbled, until he managed to catch them in time before they fall face-flat onto the floor. The person, wet, drenched, cold, and shivering, and seemingly very much grateful from the tone of voice, blubbered their word of thanks, and as they look up, Reyes’ eyes widened temporarily in surprise, with a small unexpected tinge of relief.

               It was Dr. Ziegler.

               When the doctor looked up and saw who it was, she suddenly turned into a deep beet red. “Thanks,” she mumbled again, and hastily attempted to stand up and straightened herself, only to lose her balance again, tottering in her steps.

               Reyes caught her a second time, and let out a small huff. “Careful, doc, don’t want you to get hurt, Overwatch really needs you at the moment.”

               “I’m sure they’ll have just enough medical professionals at their disposal to take care of our research and missions at the moment,” the doctor said with a light chuckle.

               “None as skilled as you,” Reyes said warmly. He meant it – by reputation, it was widely acknowledged that while other doctors were more knowledgeable, Dr. Ziegler was their first go-to for injuries due to her kindness in treating them.

               “Thanks,” Dr. Ziegler said, her face reddening again, turning her face away from him as it happened, and Reyes couldn’t help but smile. Noticing their close distance, Dr. Ziegler made bold to take a few steps away from Reyes, and only when he was sure she would be alright standing up by herself, he allowed her and stepped away as well, granting her space. Well, only one step.

               This enabled Reyes to assess her from top to bottom, and he realized with a frown that she was _drenched_ – her lab coat was washed out as it clung onto her, while her hair was unkempt as strewn hair pieces fell out from her neat fringe as it fell over her forehead. Her feet were caked in mud, and he noticed that she was holding onto her red high-heels in one hand, while the other, which strangely enough had been rolled up on the sleeve when its other wasn’t, had an unusual mottled bruise from the forearm upwards.

               “Did you… have a fall earlier?” Reyes asked gingerly, gestured towards her in a general direction. She looked down on herself, and cringed, realizing that Reyes had seen her injuries.

               “Ah, yes… I was merely trying to submit some medical records back here, and was actually halfway back to the nearest block unit when the rain fell. I ran back all the way towards here when the thunders started.”

               “There were lightning? I didn’t hear,” Reyes sounded confused. “But I just came out, must have missed you while I was on the way to here – “

               Just then, a loud, deafening CRASH was heard in the sky, as the whole place was suddenly alighted in blinding, white flash, as if on fire. Reyes heard Dr. Ziegler’s yelp – a very adorable sound – and suddenly felt a trembling presence clinging onto dear life on his self. When he was able to readjust his sight back after the aftermath of the lightning had gone away, he looked down and wasn’t surprised to see Dr. Ziegler gripping tight onto his hoodie, her hands desperate on each side of his collar, her whole lithe frame shivering from head to toe.

              “Hate lightning?” Reyes asked gently, as he placed a hand on her back and made what he hoped were soothing, circular patterns, hoping that this would ease her fear reaction.

              “Y-Yes… for r-reasons…” Dr. Ziegler said in an almost inaudible whisper, and slowly straightened up as she inhaled shakily. “I’m sorry… I’ll… uh…” She reluctantly loosened her grip on Reyes’ hoodie, but by this time, the man had gently placed another hand behind her and held her close, to which she didn’t resist.

              “It’s fine,” Reyes replied. They stayed that way for a little while, Reyes resting his chin on top of her golden head, and while the wetness from the rain caught in her hair tickled his chin as they hit his beard and moustache, he happily endured it for the kind figure who held onto him as if he was her dear life. He’s had had relationships prior, but for some reason, he felt compelled to acknowledge that with the doctor here, either he was re-experiencing an intense likeable crush, or he was truly feeling something deep and stirring akin to love for the first time. Years of hard fighting had quelled his desire to feel something, anything, like this, and now, he didn’t know…

              “Look… I mean to tell you… I’m sorry about that fiasco months ago… “ Reyes began.

              Dr. Ziegler looked up at him, seemingly confused. “Why? That had nothing to do with you…”

              “It does, I didn’t mean to make it go out of hand like that,” Reyes went on, feeling a strange warmth creeping up onto the nape of his neck, tingling and very much unpleasant. “Afterwards, when I heard from the other folks that they keep giving you a hard time over it, I just felt so guilty, that I thought… it would be best… that I stay away from you and let you calm down, at least until you or I am ready to talk again. I hate that, I think… but I thought it’s for the best. I keep bringing out the worst out of you, when I know that away from me, you’re a girl doing all the good stuff for us.”

              One soft hand planted itself on one side of his face. Hers. He locked gazed into her eyes, and Reyes was marvelled at the soft, deep hues of crystal blue he could look into from her own pair, and in them, he was deeply falling for the look of clarity and compassion she was showing to him.

              “It’s alright… none of that was ever your fault,” Dr. Ziegler said softly, her gentle murmuring voice honey to his ears. “It was entirely mine, I was… too deep in my accidental crush to know my own self, and keep control. But I was glad it happened… it cured me of being too easily carried away by my feelings, when I know you don’t feel the same in return. So I took care to make sure I always stay focus on my tasks during the hours I’m here since then.”

              “Accidental crush?” Reyes chuckled. “Didn’t take you for a pun-lover, doc.” Dr. Ziegler gave a small laugh.

              Reyes’ hand, by now holding up one side of her face, and as he held her, he was mesmerized as she seemed to meld into his touch, a look of uncontrollable allure in her eyes as they misted over and she leaned her head just right into his hand.

              “But that’s where you’re wrong,” Reyes murmured low.

              “What?” Dr. Ziegler asked, seemingly torn between returning the attention to the present and staying basked in the warmth of what this moment was presenting to her, to them. He thumbed her cheek lightly as he turned her head to look towards him, and they locked gazes once more.

              “I do like you,” Reyes said simply. Oh, he wanted to say more – the low-kindling fire in his belly was an indication that whatever it was he was feeling for this doctor, it was more than that, and it terrified him – but for now, let this suffice.

              “… please don’t do this… “ Dr. Ziegler begged.

             “I mean it… I keep seeing you every night when I turn off the lights to sleep, and I keep looking out for traces of where you have been during the day when I’m back in HQ,” Reyes confessed. With a low snarl that seduced the doctor somewhere just right, one swift jerk, and he was holding her flush against him, thigh meeting thigh, torso meeting torso. “Medic bay on Room 3 where you’re always expected to be found? You’ve just treated at least one of my team. The far-end computer terminal in the library? You’ve been doing some quick medical look-up before you’re being called on a case, or research meeting. The cafeteria? You always never miss a Moon Pie whenever they stock up on ‘em, and last chocolate glazed donut with cherry on top is always reserved for you, no one else. You’re always on my mind, doc.” Reyes leaned forward, resting his forehead against hers, and in the cold of the falling rain around them, their breaths arose in soft swirls of faintly-warm mists, and it captured the moment just right. Dr. Ziegler’s face turned a bright, radiant red mixed with a look of rapture that melted his heart, and Reyes felt the same as his face warmed.

             “Or else if I’m reading it all wrong – “ Reyes began.

             “No, no you haven’t,” Dr. Ziegler immediately interrupted. “It’s just that I… I don’t know… if I could make you feel the same… about me.” Her voice faltered with each word following the other, and Reyes’ thumb hand now wandered to feel the soft plump of her lips. “I keep telling myself, ‘It’s just a crush, it’ll go away soon’, but everyday news about you and your team keep making its way back towards me, and I keep feeling as if my head is going to explode, it hurts so much, but I couldn’t turn away.”

             “… and when I’m around with you? Didn’t it intensify?” Reyes murmured his question, a small steady sigh followed as the doctor placed her hands to wander on his chest. His heart stirred, he wondered that if her feelings had turn out to be so painful, why wouldn’t she had turned away from him sooner? Wouldn’t that have saved her from a lot of heartache?

             “… they always do,” Dr. Ziegler admitted softly. “But I keep coming back towards it.”

             “I don’t want that for you,” Reyes whispered, by now his nose a light touch against hers, her breaths tickling on his skin. “If all I can give back to you is pain… no, I can’t do that to you…”

             Dr. Ziegler’s lips formed a sensuous pout. “Then prove it. Take it away from me.”

             Just like that, his hold on himself shattered, and in a flurry of moments between his hard, ragged pants and her hitched gasps bordering between surprise and delight, he kissed her with wanton abandon, his lips bruising against hers with an aggressive, deep passion and want, which she replied in kind return, a constant soft mewl against the back of her throat which hummed into the kiss, and he was growling, left wanting more. He held her head to tilt a little, and ran a light flick of his tongue on her lower lip, which left her gasping, and he soon darted it in, and they went on with their continued embrace, passion and love rushing in and out of them in heavy sighs as they did so. His hands held her tight against him, and yet he made sure he wasn’t crushing her to him or against the wall, while her hands played with his hair, touching them gingerly. One hand then lowered down, leaving light teasing traces along his back, then when hers reached down, she gave a light squeeze on his ass.

            _Oh_.

            Reyes pulled back, smiling as he did so, to give both a break for air. A soft light drool hung between their lips, and it made him feel hotter. Seeing her swollen lips and flushed look of her face amplified it even more so.

            “Come home with me tonight,” Reyes whispered, as she ran a finger against his lips, and captured the drool back towards her, licking it off into her mouth, and he felt close to doing it again. “I’ll buy dinner, just… come home with me tonight.”

            “But yours is at the dorms,” Dr. Ziegler reminded him. Oh, right. “Why not to my place? Dinner’s still on you, though.”

            Reyes laughed like he hadn’t in years. “Of course.”


	2. After

               After, when they had both lain exhausted on her bed, as he pulled her back towards him while his other hand darted to wrap her with a quilt blanket she’d had on the bed, Reyes murmured, “Wow.”

               Dr. Ziegler let out a soft laugh as she agreed, “Yeah.”

               “Hope that, uh, met your expectations?” Reyes asked with an eyebrow raised. Dr. Ziegler did the same in return, and they laughed together.

               “It was perfect, in every way,” Dr. Ziegler reassured him, as he wrapped his arms around her, and she gently rubbed his back. “You couldn’t have done anything wrong, even if you try.”

               “Sweet-talkin’ doc, as always,” Reyes murmured, kissing her deeply, which she sighed into. He gave her one last, sweet peck on the lips, then whispered, “Buenas noches… you need rest for in the morning, doc.”

               “Hmm,” Dr. Ziegler hummed as she followed as he asked her to, and soon enough, went into a deep sleep. Reyes took a while to settle down – their lovemaking was more intense than any of his earlier ones all this time, and divine doesn’t even begin to describe it. But he didn’t want to land her in another kind of hot water again by having her show up to work with lovemarks all over her in addition to her tired state throughout the day tomorrow, so he contented himself with this. There would be enough time later for him to be close with her and do this again, he promised himself.

               Now he basked in the afterglow of their lovemaking, letting out a small sigh so as not to wake the beautiful girl lain asleep in his arms. He’d never counted himself on being this lucky to have her, to find her, and he thanked his lucky stars that he had. He closed his eyes, smiling with the knowledge that from here on out, he would no longer had to wonder about the doctor when he turn off the lights at night… he’d be waking up to see her lovely face and the loving gaze in her clear eyes.

               If only those moments could last forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short, because (1) timeskip, (2) when I first wrote this in Word, it's a single story file with writing breaks demarcated in between to show when one part ends and another one begins, and (3) I can't do smut for uploadable work because of reasons (sorry!). But I hope the implication of an intimate moment between them that has taken place is enough?


	3. Confrontation

               “Having fun, doc?” he spat at her, across the dark room. In other far-flung corner, lay a woman with wings, crumpled onto the floor, dejected and worn, her once-bright wings a dull, leaden colour. Once upon a time, it would have killed his heart and torn his soul apart to ever _imagine_ having to see her like this…

               … but that man was no more, and the person now standing in the cold, distant memory of his stead was someone cruel, cold-hearted, _evil_.

               “See here, and behold the thing I’ve become,” he said mockingly, as he held out his arms, while the woman who sat shivering violently on the other side of the room beheld in him fear and grief. “The thing you made me into!”

               “N-no, this isn’t what I wanted to do to you!” the Overwatch agent he learned earlier as Mercy, and in the heat of their battle learnt that he had known her all along, choked out in a tone of sadness and grief that would have killed the old Reyes to hear her speak in. “I wanted to bring you back, alive and safe! Not like this!”

               “Well, good job, doc, you’ve got me instead,” Reaper snarled, and he disappeared into a mist of smoke and landed right in front of her, frightening her further as she withdrew away from being close to him. “Must have been a triumph, wasn’t it, killing me just so you could turn me into this monster instead? To prove to the world that you’re a scientist not afraid to push it to the limits?”

               “No it’s not!” Mercy begged. “Please, it wasn’t anything like that! I swear to God, Reyes!”

               “Don’t make me laugh,” Reaper said. “You knew _exactly_ what you were doing!”

               Mercy then slumped onto the ground, crying, her tears uncontrollable. Reaper found something hot, scorching, was twisting inside him, a stirring of old memories and feelings trying to find afoot in him, and he stomped them down, not giving them a chance. No… no way he could fall for that trap again…

               He hovered over her, and in one swift move, grabbed her by her neck, and dangled her up from the floor, expected her to beg for mercy, an ironic move that he would have loved dearly to see…

               Except that the haunting look of torment and anguish was shown in her features, but what had arrested him from further action or thought was the look of resignation in her eyes. Of complete surrender. She knew that he would not be walking away from this night without leaving her dead…

               … and she was accepting it.

               His usual reply to this sort of outcome on other enemies, Overwatch and Talon agents alike, in the past, had been simply to draw out their deaths using various torture methods, until they begged for an earlier release of death from their pain, and he was satisfied, but here, it was as if his mind was drawing blank. Rather that, or else the constant deafening sounds of anger in his head to let her go was becoming cumbersome, and to shut it down, he obliged. Old Reyes talking to him to let her go? He supposed so. Reyes must not have been a fully dead man then.

               It discomforted him, Reaper, to feel and having been forced to think about all this… it was much easier having been woken up and be able to simply assume the mantle as Reaper, but now the more days passed by in which they saw him having been forced to see more and more of Mercy, the more he was beginning to realize that old remnants of whom he was supposed to be way back then were still alive. Alive, well, and haunting.

               No, he couldn’t have that. He couldn’t go back, so only way left was forward.

               With one swift move, he decked Mercy across the face, intending to make her pass out, but realizing that the only thing that had achieved was to give her a good enough concussion to leave her in a confused state. The old Reyes would have at least made it so that even after he took leave, someone would be able to find her…

               … but Reaper contented himself to simply leaving her in the dark-hidden room, to which if she’s lucky enough, someone from Overwatch would locate and retrieve her in a few days. If not, that would at least make Mercy as another person off from his list, and wouldn’t that be a better mercy for her? One of these days, he would no longer be able to simply just walk away from her, and if it had to come down to killing her permanently…

               The old voice inside him screamed again, and Reaper made to hold his ears tightly shut as he ghosted out of the place. He believed that after all this, there would no longer be an after he can look forward to, only a never-ending pitch of blackness synonymous to the constant drain of insanity he now possessed mostly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also fairly short for the same reasons as I've mentioned in notes of Chapter Two, so sorry about that. I have trouble in sitting down properly to carefully craft story leading up to the immersive build-up of the plot and story as a whole, because by then inspiration starts to run dry and I'm beginning to resent the storywriting process, which I really don't want to happen and hate a lot, especially when I've got a story going on and it's been progressing well. I really admire the writers who are able to do all this, a whole lot. Still practicing! But this story's completed with its timeskips and all, and next chapter will be the last one.


	4. Last Words

               He coughed out, specks of blood and black dust flying in his view, moments passing by in a blur as blood oozed out of him. He stared down, and saw that this time, no more cheating death for Reaper…

               He was dying, and fittingly so. The years of walking around as Reaper had taken its toll, and now he’s faced with his end. As luck would have had it, back in the newly-rebuilt Swiss HQ 2.0, which now lay in tattered ruins all around him. Someone up there must be having a good laugh out of this replay.

               To his left, lay Widowmaker, her blue-tint skin finally a good fit for her, although to his discomfiture, as she lay dead and as more moments passed, her skin actually did the reverse, regaining her original skin colour. She was beautiful in her life as Widowmaker, and now, even as her life had gone from her, she was even lovelier in death.

               Someone up there must be having a field day.

               Reaper wondered if the real-deal Reaper would come for him now, drawing out his death even and slow, as penance for daring to take over his persona, when the sound of halting, tip-toeing footsteps coming close towards him. Talon agents? Or Overwatch’s? No point in putting a good deal of faith on them, the former would only be too glad to render him a new body to be put into, which he swore to make them pay – they were clear about his stance on Omnics. The latter… why would they come to him now, after all the years and number he did on them as payback? Unless they, too, took a leaf out of his book, and decided their best way to make him cooperate was to draw out his death for as long as they could until he begs them to end him…

               “Are you sure you’re up to this?” Oh God. Of all things, Morrison, here, on his death.

               “Please, I need to,” came a cracked, gentler voice, which made Reaper’s breath stilled. Mercy’s.

               “I’ll watch out for you,” came the gruff reply. “Do what you need to.” A long pause, and then Reaper’s ears caught the sounds of soft steps nearing him. When the sounds stopped, and he heard the sound of metal and body lowering down, the gentle presence on his side indicating that the person had crouched low next to him, he turned a sardonic eye towards the person with as much strength as he could muster, and saw her. Mercy, in her old doctor’s coat, and the wings detached. Her body sported battle bruises, her face in scrapes and cuts, while her hair tumbled down into a golden crown all over her head and neck, which brought rushing back to him a painful memory of when he had last seen her like this, flushed and in love, by his side, in such a different time in the past.

               But her eyes remained. The same clear, crystal gaze which beheld in him silent awe to look at, and mirrored in them, was not the intense deep hatred and loathing he had expected of her, but the same graceful warmth and deep love she had often shared with him, time and time again, in the distant past.

               The fool.

               “Come over to gloat, doc?” Reaper hissed. “Hope you’ll enjoy it… because your wish is coming true, and I can’t come back again to haunt you to your final days. Not this time.”

               Her only answer were the threat of tears glistening in her eyes, as she slowly neared him. His breath hitched, and she made bold to hold up a hand to still his fear, the audacity of her. This hand she placed onto his chest, and made the old, small circular motions that once could soothe his anger, torment, and worries away.

               Yet right now, as he lay dying, he was dismayed to find that these old feelings resurfaced. His anger and hatred was now being slowly whiled away, probably the first to go as time passed and more blood oozed out of his injuries. If the last ones remaining in him were the cracked pieces of old Reyes’ memories and feelings… oh boy…

               “I’m so sorry,” Mercy whispered, almost inaudible. “I’m so sorry, Gabriel, my love…”

               “Don’t pity me,” Reaper said, in a half-hearted snarl. “Reyes is dead, a long time ago. Ask him for corroboration.” He meant Morrison.

               Mercy’s tears dripped off her face and chin as she lowered herself close to him, and planted a soft kiss on the forehead of the cold mask he was wearing. He found himself leaning into the kiss, and something wet was streaming out of his own eyes. Not blood, from the way they steadily stream out, no…

               “I love you,” Mercy whispered. “I always love you.”

               “Don’t,” Reaper murmured, his voice now weak. “You’ll insult him. He would have… wanted you… to go on… not in pain… not like this…”

               “I’ll always love you, in spite of it all,” was her only reply, in a soft whisper only heard to her and Reaper as she slowly hooked her fingers underneath his mask. Knowing he was helpless to stop her, he simply let her be as she gently removed the mask, showing her his true face.

               As she looked into his eyes with the mask fully taken off – her breath hitched as she did so, and Reaper wouldn’t blame her, this husk of man was completely different than the Reyes she had come to love, wasn’t that what he had been so busy reminding everyone of all this time – her eyes spilled into fresh tears, and they fell onto his face. He found himself deeply wishing that she would go… or else if he had been just about anyone else, he could find it in himself to wipe off those tears from her eyes…

               To his complete surprise, he managed to muster the energy to do this one last thing, and placed a hand on her face, his thumb brushing against her cheek in the same way he had done to her once on that fateful evening out in the thunderstorm rain on these very grounds where they first confessed to each other…

               “I’ll be sure to let him know that,” was the only thing he could rasp out, the pain of death now beginning to seize him. Time was running out fast, and something akin to regret was burning in his chest. “I… he… loved you too.”

               “I love you,” Mercy whispered, and as the last of his life was taken away in his slow, final exhale, as if someone had pulled the plug on him, she kissed him gently on the lips, tears spilling out afresh from her eyes. When she finally had the wherewithal to pull back, from the blurred view, she saw the small faint of a smile on his scarred, shriveled lips, and a gaze of regret on the mauled, scarred face that had once belonged to the Reaper.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Siap dah, this is the end for this story. Another timeskip, with a conclusive ending. See you in another story (may or may not be with our lovely OW characters in this particular story, no promises!) - and most of all, thanks for reading!


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